The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development constitutes a paradigm shift. It requires understanding and articulating a narrative around the meaning and value of sustainable development, how the Sustainable Development Goals interrelate across various sectors, and what it will take to achieve them.

The SDG Primer aims to establish a common base of understanding and approach for the UN system in supporting the 2030 Agenda. It is primarily meant to inform – in broad terms – the programmes and actions of all UN entities, including in their engagement with government and civil society partners.

The SDG Primer is available to all development practitioners, including those working in government, civil society, academia, and United Nations organizations.

You’ll find the Primer in three versions:

Primer e-Course initial page screenshot
Primer e-Course menu screenshot

E-course

The e-course covers the full Primer content and is open to all development practitioners.

Visit e-Course page in English or Arabic.

Full SDG Primer Cover

SDG Primer

The SDG Primer aims to establish a common base of understanding and approach for the UN system in supporting the 2030 Agenda. It is primarily meant to inform, in broad terms, the programmes and actions of all UN entities, including their engagement with government and civil society partners.

Open the full SDG Primer (PDF) in English or Spanish.

Summary Booklet Cover

Summary Booklet

The summary booklet presents ideas to inspire the work of all parts of governments and societies in the quest for inclusive and sustainable development.

Open the Summary Booklet (PDF)

The Primer resulted from a collaborative effort undertaken under the United Nations Sustainable Development Group that assembled the most relevant thinking and insights around key global and national SDG-related challenges. In particular, the UN System Staff College, UNITAR and the Sustainable Solutions Development Network were key partners, with the UN Development Coordination Office supporting the project.

The call for a Decade of Action for the delivery of the SDGs demands upscaling the ambition and engaging all sectors of society in transformative action.

We trust the SDG Primer will be a vital tool for the achievement of sustainable development.

SDG Primer Test

SDG Primer test is a (self-)assessment of your knowledge of sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs as the overarching framework guiding the UN work on the ground. All questions are based on the Foundational Primer and the SDG Primer e-course.

The assessment consists of multiple-choice questions. Each question is a multiple-choice question with four answer choices. Read each question and answer choices carefully and choose the ONE best answer.

There are 15 questions in this section. You need 12 points to pass, and you have a time limit of 45 minutes to complete the test. You will see the time counter on the top part of your screen. You can retake the test as many times as needed until you get a passing score. You may go back anytime to the Foundational Primer and SDG Primer E-course to review some of the concepts covered in this test. Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate of completion.

You would need to create an account on UN SDG:Learn to be able to take the test.